Takashiro was vast beyond measurement. Nations were not carved from land, but granted through legacy. Families that shaped history, defended realms, or stabilized entire dimensions were rewarded with sovereign nations of their own.
The **Suijin Family** ruled one of them.
Their nation was built on water—cities floating in layered rings, canals serving as arteries, towers rising like spears from an endless tide. For generations, Suijin had been stable, disciplined, and respected.
Until the family broke.
The civil war ignited at the heart of the capital basin. Soldiers bearing the same crest clashed across bridges and flooded streets. Defensive formations collapsed under familiar techniques. This was not an invasion. This was lineage turning against itself.
At the center stood **Kujaku Umi**, head of the Suijin Family and Grandmaster appointed by government Takashiro. She did not advance recklessly. Water arrays spread behind her like wings, shielding districts, reinforcing foundations, preserving what could still be saved. To her, this war was a disease—one that required containment, not mercy.
Across the basin, the canals rose unnaturally.
**Kagekawa Umi**, her younger brother, strode forward as the water obeyed him in violent arcs. His control was excessive, driven by urgency rather than balance. Once, he had been a celebrated commander within Takashiro's group system. Now, he stood in open defiance of both family and nation.
"This nation is dying under your rule," Kagekawa declared, his voice echoing through collapsing streets. "Order built on silence is still decay."
Kujaku's response was steady. "And chaos built on fear will only hasten its death."
Their powers collided. Water crushed against water, pressure screaming through the basin as entire platforms shattered. Steam engulfed the city, forcing soldiers back, blinding allies and enemies alike.
This was no longer a disagreement.
It was a declaration.
The Suijin Nation trembled as the siblings pushed further, each convinced the other would destroy everything their family stood for. Above them, Takashiro remained silent, vast enough to watch without intervening.
By nightfall, the capital burned atop its own waters.
And the truth became undeniable:
The Suijin Family no longer ruled a nation.
They were fighting to decide who would be left to inherit its ruins.
